News highlights for April 13, 2023

Cua Van fishing village among the 16 best coastal towns

The view of Cua Van fishing village in Ha Long Bay. Photo: wyndhamhalong.com

The floating fishermen’s village of Cua Van in the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh is among the world’s 16 nicest coastal towns, according to the US magazine Travel + Leisure. Surrounded by the mountains of Ha Long Bay, the only-floating village is home to some 700 fishermen born and living on anchored houseboats. The village has become an attractive destination for a unique lifestyle with friendly locals, romantic seascapes, fisherman’s folks, and fishing activities.

The 15 other most popular coastal towns in the list of Travel + Leisure include Polperro (the UK), Saint George's (Bermuda Islands), Manarola (Italy), Camden (Maine, USA), Kotor (Montenegro), Lunenburg (Canada), Sidi Bou Said (Tunisia), Cadaqués (Spain), Ilulissat (Greenland), Oia (Greece), Paternoster (South Africa), Rovinj (Croatia), Reine (Norway), Port Fairy (Australia) and Sausalito (California, USA).

Authorities to verify on-sale emperor’s ordinations

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will verify the auction of ancient Vietnamese emperor’s ordinations, which will take place on April 22 at the Shanghai Yangming Auction Co. Ltd. The to-be-auctioned items are in one piece, printed on yellow paper with a dragon stamp. The ordinations are assumed to be issued under the Later Le dynasty and Nguyen dynasty to worship the holy gods of Vietnam.

According to officials of Hanoi and the provinces of Phu Tho, Bac Ninh, Ha Nam, and Hai Duong, several items are missing and stolen. The information about the to-be-auctioned items matches the traits of the stolen items. According to Tran Ngoc Dong, a member of the Lang Viet Now and Then community, some of the ordinations are possible counterfeits or copies.

Insurances advanced for family of the crashed helicopter pilot

PetroVietnam Insurance Corporation (PVI) has advanced some VND1.18 billion (US$50,000) worth of insurance to the family of pilot Chu Quang Minh that sacrificed in the helicopter crash early this month. Pilot Minh flew the helicopter Bell-505 VN-8650 and crashed into the water of Ha Long Bay on April 5.

Under the contract signed with the Vietnam Helicopter Corporation, PVI provides two insurance packages for the plane and cabin crew that will pay US$30 million for each incident, US$1.65 million for the helicopter Bell-505, and US$200,000 for each person on the flying team. PVI will pay Minh's family the remainder of the insurance package once all requirements are finalized. The helicopter's insurance will be made following the conclusion of the authorities and the finalization of related invoices.

Non-stop toll collection proposed for domestic airports

The Department for Roads of Vietnam has suggested the Airports Corporation of Vietnam and operators of electronic toll collection (ETC) terminals enable similar facilities at nationwide airports. The department also recommends ETC service be deployed in carparks, street parking areas, and seaport entrances.

According to the department, ETC service will enhance the transparency in fare collection, diminish congestion in airports, seaports, and other public spaces, save operating expenses for the Government, and encourage cashless transactions among Vietnamese people. However, the problem lies in the regulatory framework that only allows ETC service for highway operations. The road department thus proposes the Ministry of Transport and the Government amend relevant rules to realize its recommendation.

Man sentenced to six years in prison for spreading anti-State info

A closed court in Hanoi sentenced 47-year-old Nguyen Lan Thang to six years in prison for compiling and distributing materials to oppose the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. After the imprisonment, Thang will have to serve two years of probation. The male attaint was arrested in July 2022.

From June 13, 2018, to December 31, 2020, Thang joined interviews for various websites, had 12 videos posted on the internet, and compiled a total of some 42 reading materials to distort the Communist Party of Vietnam’s orientations and policies, stir confusion among the people, slander the people’s administration, spread false information, and insult organizations and individuals.